NHL Rumor Mill – January 22, 2025

by | Jan 22, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – January 22, 2025

​In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, the latest on J.T. Miller, Ivan Provorov and Rasmus Ristolainen plus updates on the Penguins, Blackhawks and Oilers.

LATEST ON J.T. MILLER

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports there’s a sense that J.T. Miller’s situation with the Vancouver Canucks will end with a trade, though no one can predict right now when it will occur. He said the 31-year-old center hasn’t given the Canucks a list of trade destinations but there are general parameters of the kind of team that would make sense.

The New York Rangers have spoken with the Canucks about Miller. So have the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils. Some observers believe the Dallas Stars could be a suitor as they intend to place sidelined center Tyler Seguin on long-term injury reserve.

LeBrun indicates the Canucks originally weren’t interested in a return of futures for Miller but they’ve relented a bit on that. They’re willing to accept futures from contenders like Carolina or New Jersey because those clubs won’t part with any of their core players. Still, the Canucks aren’t going to give Miller away.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rumored trade with the Rangers (Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, a first-round pick and maybe a couple of minor-leaguers) suggested they were about to give him away. That deal reportedly fell through over a disagreement regarding the protection level of the first-rounder.

THE ATHLETIC: Cory Lavalette indicated Hurricanes forwards Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jack Roslovic interested the Canucks in the past. Moving both would clear cap space and declutter the center position filled with third-liners but no one to slot in behind first-line center Sebastian Aho. He believes the Canucks would need to add a sweetener in return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A package offer of Kotkaniemi and Roslovic would be a little better than that rumored deal from the Rangers. However, the 24-year-old Kotkaniemi still hasn’t played to expectations while Roslovic is a streaky scorer on his fourth team since 2020-21.

UPDATE ON THE PENGUINS

TSN: Chris Johnston reports there aren’t many untouchables on the Pittsburgh Penguins other than legacy players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. They’d like to trade some of their older players for younger ones rather than for draft picks and prospects.

Johnston also indicated they’re not interested in retaining salary on players like Erik Karlsson to facilitate a trade. They have one salary retention spot left and intend to be careful how they use it.

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe reports defenseman Marcus Pettersson remains the name most frequently heard in trade rumors involving the Penguins.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (NHL Images).

Yohe also wondered if Kris Letang might get moved for the right offer. He said he’s never sensed it’s a given that the 37-year-old blueliner would retire as a Penguin. He hasn’t asked for a trade and Yohe isn’t saying he would, but believes teams would be interested in Letang’s services.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Letang turns 38 in April and has a full no-movement clause until 2026-27 when he’ll have a 10-team trade list. The long-time Penguins blueliner has three years left on his contract with an average annual value of $6.1 million.

If the Penguins aren’t willing to retain part of his salary I don’t see any club wanting to acquire an expensive aging asset whose best seasons are behind him. 

Yohe believes Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas would listen to offers for Karlsson but he doubts another club will take on his considerable contract. He also doesn’t see Dubas parting with winger Bryan Rust. The Penguins could move winger Rickard Rakell if they get an offer that floors them but they prefer to retain him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Penguins won’t retain part of Karlsson’s salary it’s unlikely any team will pursue a trade for him. The Penguins carry $10 million of his $11.5 million AAV through 2026-27.

JACKETS COULD RE-SIGN PROVOROV

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports there’s mutual interest in a contract extension between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ivan Provorov. The 28-year-old defenseman is eligible for UFA status on July 1 and is earning an AAV of $6.75 million.

Provorov could seek the maximum eight-year contract but the Blue Jackets might not be comfortable with that given the blueline prospects within their system. If a deal isn’t in place by the March 7 trade deadline, LeBrun believes they could peddle him for a first-round pick.

FLYERS NOT SHOPPING RISTOLAINEN BUT ARE LISTENING TO OFFERS

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Jordan Hall reports Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said he’s not shopping Rasmus Ristolainen. The 30-year-old defenseman has two years remaining on his contract with an AAV of $5.1 million and lacks no-trade protection.

Briere said teams have called about Ristolainen but he’s not in a rush to move him, citing his improved performance and his value to the Flyers blueline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall believes interested clubs should be prepared to make a significant offer if they hope to pry Ristolainen away from the Flyers, especially with them battling for a wild-card berth.

LATEST ON THE BLACKHAWKS AND OILERS

THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus suggests Ryan Donato could become an interesting trade chip for the Chicago Blackhawks. The 28-year-old forward is UFA-eligible this summer with an affordable $2 million cap hit. Donato’s relentless attacking style has him among the Blackhawks leading scorers with 14 goals and 27 points in 45 games, putting him on pace for a career-best performance.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun believes the Edmonton Oilers aren’t done adding defensemen following their recent signing of John Klingberg. They could seek a shutdown blueliner before the March 7 trade deadline.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 22, 2024

by | Oct 22, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – October 22, 2024

Check out the latest on the Flames plus an update on Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST ON THE FLAMES

SPORTSNET: Eric Francis reports Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy said he’s been in the market for a center since trading Elias Lindholm in January.

“When we lost Lindholm, a right-hand center in your top-six, that’s kind of something you’d want to find,” said Conroy. “Is it an easy thing to find? Probably not.”

Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy (NHL.com).

The Flames are using Martin Pospisil at center. While the results have been good so far, Conroy’s plan of finding a center between 23 and 25 with NHL experience hasn’t changed.

Francis cited Kirby Dach of the Montreal Canadiens as an example. He was a costly acquisition for the Canadiens, who gave up a first- and a third-rounder to Chicago.

Conroy said he’d be open to parting with a first-round pick for a right-shot center who would be a long-term acquisition for the Flames.

CALGARY SUN: Wes Gilbertson acknowledged Conroy is shopping for a center. However, he doesn’t believe the Flames GM is abandoning or accelerating his club’s long-term plan or trading assets for a quick fix.

Sean Austin believes it would take a significant offer by Conroy to acquire a center that would move the needle for the Flames.

FLAMES NATION: Robert Munnich suggested Utah Hockey Club’s Barrett Hayton, Martin Necas or Jesperi Kotkaniemi of the Carolina Hurricanes, or Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks.

He also suggested Dach, Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild, Peyton Krebs of the Buffalo Sabres, and Joe Veleno of the Detroit Red Wings as honorable mentions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All but Necas and Dach are left-hand shots. The Hurricanes signed Necas to a two-year contract this summer while Dach is in the third year of a four-year contract. They’re unlikely to be available by the March 7 trade deadline.

As for the lefties, Hayton and Rossi aren’t moving. Zegras surfaced in trade rumors and he’s being used as a winger by the Ducks. However, they’re hoping he has a bounce-back performance this season.

Kotkaniemi is signed through 2029-30 with an annual average value of $4.82 million. He’s struggled with consistency throughout his career.

Krebs and Veleno could be available if their respective clubs become sellers. A change of scenery might improve their performances.

SHOULD THE BLUE JACKETS AND PENGUINS SWAP STARTERS?

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline noted the Pittsburgh Penguins have a struggling goaltender, Tristan Jarry, signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $5.375 million. He also pointed out the Columbus Blue Jackets have a struggling starter, Elvis Merzlikins, pulling in $5.4 million annually through 2026-27.

Portzline wondered if the two clubs should swap starters hoping a change of scenery might improve their performances. They’re both around the same age and carry almost identical cap hits.

Jarry has a 12-team no-trade clause while Merzlikins has a 10-team list. It’s unclear which teams are on those lists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Portzline is just musing out loud here, folks. He’s not saying the two sides are discussing his proposed swap.

Portzline’s suggested deal isn’t a bad idea. Stranger things have happened in the NHL trade market. Nevertheless, it probably won’t happen because it’s unlikely either goalie would improve with their new clubs.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 2, 2024

by | Jun 2, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 2, 2024

What could the offseason hold for the Rangers? Could the Hurricanes buy out Jesperi Kotkaniemi? Will the Utah franchise become big spenders in this offseason? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE RANGERS?

ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton believes signing Igor Shesterkin to a contract extension should be the New York Rangers’ priority this summer. He’s a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility. His career numbers combined with his stellar play in this postseason leave no doubt about what he deserves in his next contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shesterkin will become one of the NHL’s highest-paid goaltenders. The 28-year-old’s current annual cap hit is $5.666 million. He’ll likely get between $9.5 million and $10.5 million annually on his new deal.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (NHL Images).

Shilton also believes the Rangers must dissect why they can’t get over the postseason hump after falling short in the Eastern Conference Final twice in three years. They changed coaches, acquired high-end players, and were patient with youngsters like Alexis Lafreniere.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Florida Panthers play a more physical style than the Rangers. Management could consider bringing more two-way grit into their lineup.

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears observed that Lafreniere is also eligible for a contract extension on July 1. Meanwhile, Ryan Lindgren, Kaapo Kakko, and Braden Schneider are slated to become restricted free agents while Jack Roslovic, Alex Wennberg, Blake Wheeler, and Erik Gustafsson will be UFAs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers have a projected cap space of $12.1 million for next season with 16 active roster players under contract. Re-signing Lindgren, Kakko, and Schneider will take up most of it, leaving little to retain those UFAs or bring in replacements.

Kakko’s contract situation will be interesting to monitor. The 23-year-old right wing was hampered by an injury this season and held to just two points in 15 playoff games, including a healthy scratch from Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final. Speculation arose about his future soon followed.

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh observed the Rangers still have that persistent hole on the right wing of their first line.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That hole will remain unless general manager Chris Drury can find sufficient cap space and the right player to address that need. He could be forced to stick with Kakko and hope that he will have a breakout performance like Lafreniere did this season.

COULD THE HURRICANES BUY OUT JESPERI KOTKANIEMI?

SPORTSNET: Rory Boylen recently mused about whether the Carolina Hurricanes would consider buying out the remaining six years of Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s contract. The 23-year-old center is signed through 2029-30 with an average annual value of $4.82 million.

Kotkaniemi struggled this season, dropping from a promising career-high of 43 points in 2022-23 to 27 points in 79 games in 2023-24. Buying him out now would be at one-third the remaining value over twice the remaining tenure, rather than at two-thirds if he was 26 or older.

The Hurricanes would carry that buyout for the next 12 seasons but the cap hit would be $835,500 per season, except for three years when it drops to $455K.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I had mistakenly typed 47 games instead of 79 games for Kotkaniemi this season. My apologies for the error and my thanks to those of you who pointed it out. 

The Hurricanes could consider this if they needed to free up additional cap space this season. However, they’re under no pressure to buy him out and could afford to wait another couple of seasons before going down that road if necessary. Given his youth and potential, they could also attempt to trade him, though they wouldn’t get much of a return.

WILL THE UTAH FRANCHISE BE BIG SPENDERS THIS OFFSEASON?

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun recently interviewed Utah general manager Bill Armstrong over his offseason plans following his club’s move from Arizona. They now have deep-pocketed ownership willing to invest in the roster and over $40 million in cap space for next season.

Armstrong doesn’t intend to go on a spending spree. He stressed the importance of making good, healthy decisions that will allow his club to grow without sacrificing the future.

LeBrun believes Armstrong intends to sign unrestricted free agents to one or two-year deals, overpaying a little in salary to get it done. That way, it doesn’t tie up payroll three or four years from now when their younger core players are ready for new contracts. The Utah GM could also use his cap space in the trade market to target cap-strapped clubs looking to shed some salary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We probably won’t see Armstrong make a big splash by pursuing a big-ticket free agent or trade candidate. However, it appears he wants to bring in players who can play strong supporting roles for his young talent.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 26, 2024

by | Feb 26, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 26, 2024

Red Wings forward Patrick Kane makes a triumphant return to Chicago, the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov reaches 100 points, Sidney Crosby leads the Penguins over the Flyers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Patrick Kane set up the tying goal and scored the winner in overtime as the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2. It was Kane’s first game against his former club in Chicago since he was traded to the New York Rangers last February. Alex DeBrincat had a goal and an assist for the surging Red Wings (32-20-6) as they’ve won five straight games and hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 70 points. MacKenzie Entwistle and Nick Foligno scored for the 15-39-5 Blackhawks.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane spent 16 seasons with the Blackhawks and is among the greatest players in franchise history, helping them win three Stanley Cups. He received a lengthy standing ovation as the Blackhawks honored him with a video tribute during a TV timeout and another after scoring the winning goal.

Kane’s return coincided with the Blackhawks honoring another great as they retired Hall-of-Famer Chris Chelios’ No. 7 in a pregame ceremony. Chelios spent nine seasons in Chicago from 1990-91 to 1998-99, winning two of his three Norris Trophies there.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov became the first player this season to reach 100 points in a 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Kucherov had a goal and three assists as he sits atop the scoring race with 102 points. With a record of 32-23-5, the Lightning hold the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 69 points. Tyler Toffoli netted his 25th goal of the season for the Devils (29-25-4) as they’ve lost three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 38 goals, Kucherov is poised to eclipse his career-best of 41 and is 26 points away from his career high of 128 points set in 2018-19.

Devils head coach Lindy Ruff took full responsibility for his club’s struggles this season but it’s not solely his fault. The Devils have been walloped by injuries while their goaltending is among the league’s worst.

The Pittsburgh Penguins held off the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 7-6. Sidney Crosby had a goal and three assists while Bryan Rust had two goals and an assist before leaving the game in the third period with an upper-body injury as the Penguins improved to 26-21-8. Scott Laughton and Tyson Foerster each had two goals and an assist for the Flyers (30-22-7) as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale left the game in the second period favoring his left arm following a hard hit from Penguins forward Jansen Harkins. There was no update regarding his status following the game.

An overtime goal by Kyle Connor lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes, handing the latter their 12th straight loss. Connor finished with two goals, Mark Scheifele had a goal and three assists while Josh Morrissey collected three assists for the 36-15-5 Jets (77 points) as they’ve won three straight and sit one point behind the Central Division-leading Dallas Stars. Nick Schmaltz tallied twice for the 23-29-5 Coyotes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coyotes winger Clayton Keller left the game early in the second period with an undisclosed injury. He leads the club with 52 points in 57 games.

The Nashville Predators strengthened their hold on the final Western Conference wild-card berth by doubling up the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist while goaltender Kevin Lankinen stopped 29 shots for the 32-25-2 Predators (66 points) as they’ve won five straight and sit four points up on the St. Louis Blues. Brett Leason had a goal and an assist for the 20-35-3 Ducks.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins made 38 saves as his club upset the New York Rangers 4-2, snapping the latter’s 10-game win streak. Dmitri Voronkov, Kirill Marchenko and Jack Roslovic each had a goal and an assist for the 19-28-10 Blue Jackets. Artemi Panarin netted his 33rd goal of the season for the Rangers (39-17-3) as they remain in second place in the overall standings.

The Buffalo Sabres have won three straight games for the first time this season with a 3-2 upset of the Carolina Hurricanes. Casey Mittelstadt tallied the winning goal in the shootout while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 30 saves for the 27-27-4 Sabres. Martin Necas had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (34-18-6) as they remain in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 74 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game the NHL department of player safety fined Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi $5,000.00 for elbowing Dallas Stars defenseman Joel Hanley on Saturday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 6, 2023

by | May 6, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 6, 2023

The Hurricanes take a 2-0 series lead over the Devils while the Jack Adams Award finalists are announced. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes thumped the New Jersey Devils 6-1 to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven second-round series. Jesperi Kotkaniemi tallied twice as the Hurricanes took a 4-0 lead in the first period while Frederik Andersen picked up the win with a 28-save performance. The series shifts to New Jersey for Game 3 on Sunday.

Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes are dominating this series, outscoring New Jersey 11-2 in the first two games and outperforming them in every aspect. Following Game 2, Devils captain Nico Hischier said he and his teammates should be “pissed off” over how poorly they’ve played. That sentiment won’t mean much if they don’t find a way to get back into this series.

Devils winger Timo Meier returned to action in this contest after missing Game 1 due to an upper-body injury suffered during Game 7 of his club’s first-round series with the New Jersey Devils.

Dave Hakstol of the Seattle Kraken, Jim Montgomery of the Boston Bruins, and Lindy Ruff of the Devils are the finalists for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year in 2022-23.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers forward Sam Bennett was fined $5,000.00 by the NHL player safety department for a cross-check to the neck of Toronto Maple Leafs winger Michael Bunting on Thursday.

TORONTO SUN: Bennett went unpunished for a hit that concussed Leafs rookie forward Matthew Knies in the same game. Knies will miss Games 3 and 4 and could be sidelined for the remainder of the series if it goes beyond Game 4. The Panthers lead two games to none.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bennett gets a fine for a dangerous hit to an opponent’s neck and nothing for injuring another by slamming him to the ice. And the league wonders why fans and pundits have so much disdain for its so-called “player safety” department.

SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl left practice early yesterday after being nicked by a puck. Head coach Jay Woodcroft said it was “a little bit of playoff makeup, I think he probably had one or two sutures. He’ll be just fine.”

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning signed forward Mikey Eyssimont to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $800K.

YARDBARKER: Dallas Stars prospect Lian Bichsel underwent surgery to repair a broken ankle. His recovery time is six-to-eight weeks. He was training in preparation to play for Switzerland in the upcoming IIHF World Championship.

OTTAWA SUN: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman believes it would be a plus for the Senators to have a Hollywood celebrity as part of its potential new ownership group. However, he believes the bids must stand on their own merit. Actor Ryan Reynolds and rapper Snoop Dogg are part of two competing groups bidding for ownership of the Senators. The deadline for binding bids is May 15.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2023

by | Mar 6, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2023

Timo Meier and Jonathan Quick make their debuts with their new clubs, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Teuvo Teravainen combined for eight points as the Hurricanes blank the Lightning, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Timo Meier opened the scoring in his debut with the New Jersey Devils as they defeated the Arizona Coyotes 5-4 on an overtime goal by Nico Hischier. Jesper Boqvist scored twice for the Devils as they improved to 41-15-6 and sit two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 88 points. Jack McBain had a goal and an assist for the 21-32-10 Coyotes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Dawson Mercer’s goal streak ended at eight games.

Jonathan Quick made 25 saves in his Vegas Golden Knights debut to hold off the Montreal Canadiens by a score of 4-3. Ivan Barbashev scored twice, including the winning goal, as the Golden Knights (38-19-6) vaulted over the Dallas Stars into first place in the Western Conference with 82 points. The Canadiens fell to 26-33-4 on the season.

Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barbashev now has five points in four games since joining the Golden Knights in a trade with the St. Louis Blues. The Golden Knights also played without William Carrier as he’s been sidelined indefinitely since Friday with a lower-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi had a goal and four assists while Teuvo Teravainen tallied a hat trick in a 6-0 drubbing of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Frederik Andersen made 14 saves for the shutout while Martin Necas and Shayne Gostisbehere each had three points for the 41-12-8 Hurricanes, who sit atop the Metropolitan Division with 90 points. The Lightning fell to 37-21-5 and remain third in the Atlantic Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning have won just two of their last 10 games (2-5-3). They also lost defenseman Victor Hedman when he fell awkwardly after being checked by Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov.

An overtime goal by Yanni Gourde lifted the Seattle Kraken to a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Brandon Tanev scored the tying goal late in the third period for the Kraken (36-21-6) as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 78 points. Nathan MacKinnon scored his 25th goal of the season for the Avalanche (34-21-6) as they hold third place in the Central Division with 74 points.

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart made 25 saves to beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-1, handing the latter their sixth straight defeat. The Flyers improved to 24-28-11 while the Wings sank to 28-26-9.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Two weeks ago, the Wings were surging in the standings and pushing for a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Their recent decline was the reason why general manager Steve Yzerman became a seller leading up to last week’s trade deadline.

HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers head coach John Tortorella doesn’t like the criticism general manager Chuck Fletcher received for failing to trade James van Riemsdyk before Friday’s trade deadline. “Do you not he tried to move him? Are you guys kidding me? He tried like hell to move him,” said Tortorella. He explained there were different scenarios that went on which prevent a van Riemsdyk trade.

SPORTSNET: Anaheim Ducks assistant coach Mike Stothers announced Saturday that he’d been diagnosed with an advanced form of skin cancer known as stage 3 melanoma of the lymph node. He is receiving treatment and is scheduled for more testing this week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Stothers make a swift and complete recovery.